


They Call it the Season of Giving (I'm Yours)

by hemakeshimstrongx



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Family, Fluff and Mush, Larry Stylinson Is Real, M/M, Recreational Drug Use, i cant really tag much without giving it away, its honest to god all fluff, thats brief
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2016-12-20
Packaged: 2018-09-10 17:30:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8926000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hemakeshimstrongx/pseuds/hemakeshimstrongx
Summary: in which louis and harry exchange a gift every day leading up to Christmas Day, drink a lot of alcohol, spend a lot of time with family, and realize that each other is all they could ever need. dedicated to Jay.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alex4968](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alex4968/gifts).



> i did another fic exchange fic lol surprise! hope you enjoy, i had so much fun with this prompt.

“You realize that you turn twenty five this year?” Harry asks, not even looking up from his phone.

“Are you ever going to stop rubbing in the fact that you’re younger than I am?”

Harry laughs from his place in the passenger seat. “Only on December twenty fifth when you’re three years older than me and it plays out in my favor.”

Louis rolls his eyes and adjusts his grip on the steering wheel. Even in the days leading up to Harry’s birthday, he  _ still _ brings up the three year age gap. The only place he doesn't bring it up teasingly is when they're in bed.

“Your mum says that the door is unlocked and we shouldn't bother ringing the bell.” Harry informs. “You know where they're going since they moved?”

“Are you–are you texting my mum?” Louis laughs, glancing over at Harry.

“Yes. Do you know where you're going?”

“Yeah, I know where I’m going. I want to know why you're texting my mum?”

“From what she tells me, I’m in contact with her more than you are. And I text her because we’re friends, Lou. She always asks me for recipes and what you want for Christmas.”

“Oh, does she?”

“Mhm. She helped me with what to get you, too. Because you know we did that one present a day thing I saw on Tumblr, so I started may or may not have started struggling with what to get you.”

Louis gasps, feigning shock. “We’re doing one present a day? My God, I completely forgot!” 

“Oh, shut up.”

Louis’ only forgotten one gift-giving opportunity and it was Valentine’s Day last year. He’d ordered Harry something pretty off an online website but it  _ never came  _ so he didn’t have anything to give Harry. So technically he didn’t  _ forget,  _ he just planned poorly and the website had shitty shipping services. Harry really doesn’t let him live it down.

Arriving at his mother's house brings a mix of emotions, relief because they finally made it, nerves because he just gets anxious, okay? And a strange sense of no familiarity; usually coming home entails a flood of nostalgia and childhood stories but now Jay moved and this is Louis’ first time at the new house. It's different.

Upon entering the house, the boys are greeted by Ernie and Doris, who are all too happy to see them. “Hi my love!” Harry exclaims, scooping Doris up into his arms immediately. 

“Ernie wanna lead me to mum?” Louis asks, attempting to shake the young boy from his leg.

“Mummy in kitchen!”

“Yeah? Wanna show me where?”

As Ernest starts to drag Louis away, he turns to look back at Harry, who is perfectly content standing in the foyer tickling Doris. “Gonna come with us, love?”

Harry smiles. “I’m right behind you.”  

Jay is in the kitchen preparing dinner, but she stops to give Louis and Harry both a hug. “Sorry Lottie and Fiz aren't here, they went out with Tommy to see some film.”

“She's still with Tommy, huh?” Louis muses, taking a pepper from the pile Jay has cut up. He sits down at the island across from where she's cooking and drinks in the kitchen for a moment. It's certainly bigger than what he grew up with.

“Yeah, we love him though. Ernest and Doris too. He's great.”

“Hm.” Louis nods slowly.

Harry pulls up a stool next to him. “Who are we talking about?”

“Lottie’s boyfriend. Are Daisy and Pea watching that movie?”

“Elf.” Harry supplies.

“Yeah, that one. Every damn Christmas, every damn day. Gets annoying, no?”

Harry gasps. “You told me you loved that movie!”

Louis reaches for another pepper, but Jay swats him away. “I  _ like _ that movie. Once or twice around Christmas time.”

“God, I’ve dedicated three years of my life to an Elf-hater.”

“You're a fucking idiot,” Louis mutters.

His mother gasps. “Language, Louis William! If I hear those little ones picking up any of your lip, you're going to get it.”

“Oh, they won't. They're angels!” Louis exclaims. “When do we get shown to our room?”

“Right! I can show you right now, if you’d like. Let you go through your stuff and get settled.”

Jay leads the two boys upstairs and down the long hallway, again, very unlike what Louis grew up with. It's bigger, walls a bland beige instead of deep blue. No posters on said bland walls, only a strategically placed sign that reads  _ life’s not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain.  _ Some bullshit little thing that Louis will never have in his flat. Ever.

“At least the bed’s bigger,” Louis decides, attempting to forget the nostalgia wave that usually comes but  _ hasn’t,  _ the wave that he’s so desperately missing. He dives into the bed, still not hit with that same  _ finally home  _ feeling. “C’mere,” he says, motioning Harry over.

“This place is really different, huh?” Harry asks exactly what Louis has been thinking the entire time. He crawls up next to Louis in the bed, snuggling into his side. “I like it, though. It’s nice. I like that sign your mum's got hung up." 

 _Crap, now we're going to have to get one of those damn signs._ Louis smiles and nods. “It's definitely nice. Weird having the girls so far away from my room.”

“That only means we don’t have to be so quiet when we have sex,” Harry grins.

“Not like you were quiet anyway.” Louis smirks, tracing mindless circles on Harry’s hip. “You’re right. It’s nice. We should look at the positives. We’re not all crammed together anymore. And the girls got to pick out a bigger Christmas tree. And they’ve got their own rooms.”

“See? It’s good. Can I give you a Christmas present now?”

Louis quirks an eyebrow. “That sound vaguely sexual, but regardless, yes.”

Harry cackles, sitting up. “It’s  _ not  _ sexual. We have to start exchanging if we want the last, biggest present to be done on Christmas Day.”

“You’re right. Alright, baby, what’ve you got?”

Harry digs into his suitcase, making a show out of pulling the small envelope out of a plastic bag. They decided that they’d slowly build up to the best present; the most thoughtful, expensive and complex one, to be exchanged on Christmas Day. So these are small. Louis’ handing Harry a card as well.

“You didn't draw this,” Harry deadpans, staring at the picture in his hands.

“That's all you have to say!?” Louis exclaims, sitting cross legged across from Harry. “No, I didn't do it, I asked Z to make it, but it's the fucking thought that counts, innit?”

Harry grins, kissing Louis’ cheek. “It's very thoughtful. I love it. We’ll put it on the mantle. Or in the bathroom.”

“Or on your dresser.”

“Or that. C’mon, open yours.”

Louis opens the envelope and pulls a flip book out. He thumbs through it, seeing several different coupons.  _ Good for one back massage (a deep one). Good for two kisses (wherever you want them). FREE PASS: when you fuck up, use this and I have to forget about it. _

“This is very thoughtful, baby. I love it. Do I need to use a kiss coupon now?”

“Absolutely not.”

They kiss slowly for a minute, already feeling happy and warm and looking forward to the rest of their days here. “We should go back downstairs,” Harry murmurs, but doesn’t pull very far away from Louis.

“Yeah? I think I’d much rather stay here.”

Harry hums, finally drawing back so Louis can’t kiss him anymore. “I don’t want your mum to think we’re already fucking.”

Louis laughs, light and bright and beautiful. “Alright, love, whatever you say.”

Back downstairs, Phoebe and Daisy drag Harry to the living room to continue watching Elf with them. Louis says he’ll come in to watch in a few minutes, which isn’t a lie. Harry wants him to sit and watch, so Louis will sit and watch without really thinking twice about it. “The girls just love him, don’t they?” Jay shakes her head.

“He loves them just as much, I think. So it all works out,” Louis smiles.

“Could you do me a favor? Look in that pot and see if the water’s boiling, and if it is, dump that spaghetti in. The girls and Tommy are on their way home, so we’re going to eat as soon as they are.”

“No Dan?” Louis asks, doing what his mother asked. The water is in fact boiling, so he dumps a fair amount of pasta into the pot that will hopefully be enough for everyone.

“No, he’s in the city for business. He’ll be back home on Wednesday.”

“Left you all alone with these little buggers?”

“I’m not alone anymore. You and Harry got here and they’re already off my back and onto yours,” Jay grins, stopping what she’s doing and turning to look at her son.

“Harry doesn’t mind. He bathes in that attention from the girls. Never shuts up about when we can come see you.”

“Well, you know that I love having you guys here. You’re welcome any time you want.”

Louis nods. “I know that. That’s why we’re here now, isn’t it?”

“You’re here because I’m your mum and it’s the bloody holidays and you’d be coming whether you had that boy with you or not,” Jay smiles. “You want him with you, though. You’re glad he’s with you.”

“Of course I am. He gave me a damn coupon book for the first Christmas gift.”

“A coupon book?”

“Mhm,” Louis hums. “Good for a free fuck up pass and kisses and massages.”

Jay laughs, shaking her head. “I don’t think I’d expect anything else from him.”

“Nah. It was cute. I just have to use them, otherwise he’ll have me head over it.”

“Who’s gonna have your head?” Harry asks, opening the fridge.

“You, love,” Louis replies. “Need something?”

“Daisy and Phoebe wanted me to come find you, they say you’re missing the best part of the movie. And I’m thirsty.”

“I can make you something alcoholic if you want me to.” Louis wiggles his eyebrows, making Harry laugh and Jay roll her eyes.

“It’s only a quarter to five, Louis. You want to make alcoholic beverages?”

“Louis’ definition of a mixed drink is very far from the view of my and your versions of mixed drinks, Jay,” Harry laughs. “Louis pours various alcohols together in the cocktail shaker and pours it over ice.”

“Lou, I don’t think mixing alcohol together would taste very good?”

“Oh, you’d be surprised!” Harry exclaims. “Just open your liquor cabinet and he’ll work his magic.”

“So you want one then?” Louis asks, already heading over to the alcohol cabinet. “I’ll mix you up a Tommo.”

“Ooh, whatever that is, can I have one?” Lottie asks, shivering as she comes into the kitchen with Tommy and Fizzy behind her.

“Lottie!” Louis yells, wrapping his arms around her. “Of course you can have a Tommo. Several types of vodka and maybe a little whiskey if I can get the mixture just right.”

The bond Louis and Lottie have formed since she became of the drinking age in London has made them even closer. Louis took Lottie out drinking the night she turned eighteen and got her proper drunk, and now they go get proper drunk together whenever Louis comes home. Mixing her a Tommo is something Louis plans on doing with great pride. So he mixes three, taking his and Harry’s own into the living room.

“Mind if I make room for myself here?” Louis asks, dropping down between Daisy and Phoebe on the couch. “Did I miss the best part of the movie?” he props a foot up on the coffee table and makes himself as comfortable as possible.

Daisy shakes her head. “No, not yet.”

“Can I ask what the best part is?”

“The part where they sing  _ Baby it’s Cold Outside  _ in the showers,” Harry replies, and the twins nod their heads in agreement.

Louis looks over at him, taking a sip from his drink. “How is it?” he asks, draping an arm around Daisy’s shoulders to touch his fingertips to Harry’s shoulder.

“Good. Very strong, but somehow good.”

Louis goes to reply, but Phoebe promptly shushes him as their favorite scene comes on. They singalong, they make Harry sing along, making Louis smile. The next time the movie goes to commercial, Jay calls for dinner. The girls groan.

“It’ll be on again, pretties.” Louis reminds. “Several times.”

The girls get up to go help set the table, leaving Louis and Harry alone. “You just don't understand how truly fundamental  _ Elf  _ is to the Christmas season,” Harry notes, taking a long sip from the drink.

Louis laughs. “Is that it?”

Harry nods, standing up from the couch and extending a hand for Louis’, which he accepts. They head into the dining room with their fingers entwined. Louis let's go to make another set of drinks for them, because is it really that bad of a thing if they get a little tipsy tonight? Jay makes Louis sit at the head of the table since Dan isn’t here to do so. Harry sits on Louis’ right, Tommy on his left.

“How much are you gonna drink tonight?” Tommy asks, smirking.

“As much as it takes to get through this holiday,” Louis laughs. “Did my mum make you ask that?”

“Nah. I’m just curious. Also wondering when you make me one of those?”

Louis laughs again. Dinner starts, Louis and Lottie bickering over who should have won the X Factor. All the while, Louis can feel Harry staring at him, the creepy, unrelenting stare that Louis finds slightly annoying.

“Harold,” he says softly, finally slipping himself out of the conversation with everyone else. “That’s your creepy frog stare.”

Harry rolls his eyes, locking ankles with Louis under the table. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t call me a creepy frog.”

Louis smiles in a I-know-but-I’m-still-gonna-do-it way. His eyes land on Harry’s plate, which he seems to be done with. “Are you gonna eat the rest of your spaghetti?”

“Do you want it?” Harry asks, already pushing his plate towards Louis. Louis nods eagerly, reaching over with his fork to gather has many pieces onto it as possible. He shoves a rather large mouthful into his mouth, making Harry laugh.

Jay doesn’t find it as amusing. She gives Louis a disapproving look. “Please don’t do that again.”

“There's not enough spaghetti on his plate for me to do it again, don't worry. Girls, don't do what I just did,” Louis warns, making sure to cover his bases. Daisy and Phoebe are giggling like crazy.

After dinner, Harry forces himself into the cleanup even though Jay insists she doesn't want or need any help. So Louis watches while his mother, Lottie, Fizzy and Harry clean up the dinner mess. Tommy heads into the living room with the two sets of twins, dead set on getting them into a game of some sorts.

“You could help, you know,” Harry says, sparing a glance at Louis where he's leaning in the doorway.

Louis shrugs. “I don't wanna get in your way.”

Fizzy snorts. “That's always been your excuse, you know.”

“Guilty.”

Harry’s the last one in the kitchen with Louis. They make eye contact, immediately forming huge grins. Louis glances upward, at the mistletoe above his head, making Harry chuckle. He follows through with a kiss before they head into the living room with everyone else.

Louis falls asleep with Harry’s head on his chest and butterflies in his stomach for whatever reason. He doesn't wish them away, in fact, he quite likes them.

In the morning, he walks up to a small box on his nightstand and Harry nowhere to be found. The spot next to him has gone cold. He smiles, immediately opening the box to find an xBox gift card. This will certainly come in handy.

Louis gets dressed, brushes his teeth and grabs his gift for Harry before finally heading downstairs. He finds Harry in the kitchen talking to Jay. Surprise.

“Morning love,” Louis murmurs, kissing Harry’s head and placing the gift bag on the counter in front of him. “Morning mum.”

“Morning boo. There's a kettle on the stove. Sleep well?”

Louis nods, getting a mug down from the cabinet. As he pours a cup of tea, he can hear Harry opening the present and gasping at what's inside. Louis turns around, warm cup in his hands. Harry looks up at him, eyes wide. “Candles!”

“Noticed the ones you like in the bathroom were getting kind of low,” Louis explains.

Harry grins. “Very thoughtful of you, Lou. Thank you.”

“I hope your one present for me is as thoughtful as these ones, Louis,” Jay says.

“Always. You’re gonna love what I got you.”

Harry laughs. He’s the only other person who knows that Louis stopped to pick up his mother’s present on their way to her house. It’s a really nice present, in Louis’ defense. A new purse, Kate Spade, because that’s the most Louis could afford. One day he’ll buy her Louis Vuitton or Gucci or something, but that day has yet to come, so.

“What’s our plan for today?” Louis asks, leaning against the counter.

“I think you’re gonna make breakfast right now,” Jay says slowly, already backing out of the kitchen. “Then once it’s done you can wake the kids up, and I’ll have my feet up on the coffee table if you need anything!”

Louis laughs, shaking his head. “Alright, mum. If you say so!” He looks at Harry. “Please tell me you’ll help me make breakfast.”

“Of course I’ll help you make breakfast. Baby, you remember the time you tried making pancakes, don’t you? I don’t want to put your sisters and brother through that same  _ misery  _ I had to endure.” Harry giggles, pressing a kiss to Louis’ lips. “Can I have control of the music?”

“You can have whatever you’d like,” Louis replies, grinning. Harry kisses him again before turning to the little speaker Jay keeps in the kitchen. Harry shuffles his phone, and an Ed Sheeran song is the first that plays. Predictable.

They get cooking, making a really good batch of pancakes that the girls devour almost the second they come downstairs. Once she’s eaten and had a second cup of coffee, Jay informs Louis that they’ll be going for a drive. A  _ drive,  _ sounds very vague and kind of strange, but Harry seems excited for it and therefore, Louis is excited for it.

An hour later the Tomlinson’s (and Harry) are piled into the SUV, sitting with four in the backseat, much to Fizzy and Lottie's annoyance.

“It's a good thing we’re all friends here!” Louis says gleefully, throwing his arms around each of his sister's shoulders. “Where are we off to, taxi?”

Phoebe says something from her hard-fought spot in the passenger seat, but Louis can't quite hear her. “What's that? I can hear you all the way back here in the damn caboose.”

“Mum wants to go look at the Christmas lights.”

Louis is silent for a moment. “It's noon. What Christmas lights?”

“They're not up yet, but they will be. There's trees to look at and stuff to do at this Christmas light place, apparently.” Lottie replies. “Not really looking forward to it.”

“Not looking forward to it? Lots, it’s Christmastime!” Louis exclaims.

“God, you’re too excited,” Harry murmurs. He closes his eyes and rests his head against the window. “You hate this kinda stuff.”

Louis reaches over and puts a hand on Harry’s shoulder. “I love family activities, Harold.”

He's not lying, is the thing. Louis will bitch and moan about anything his mother makes him do because that's what he's always done, but everybody knows that he’s also the biggest mama’s boy to ever walk the planet, so. Louis does whatever she wants no matter how much he doesn't want to.

They don't arrive at the Vague Christmas Light Place until after one, which was one very long car ride. 

The girls run around and look at trees and lights and blow up decorations, but Louis takes it slow and walks with Harry. They hold hands and walk together, Louis listening to Harry point out different things and tell a story of the time he, Anne and Gemma went to pick out a tree when he was younger.

A perfect evening that Louis is pretty damn glad he didn't pass up on.

********

On day three, Louis gets Adidas joggers and a new hoodie. Louis gives Harry a new phone speaker to keep on their kitchen counter back home. His old one has gone to shit by now, so Louis saw fit to invest in a new one.

The evening on day three brings Louis and Harry at home. Alone. By themselves. Jay had rattled off where exactly everyone was off to, but her words are long forgotten now that Louis’ mouth has found Harry’s. They've been laying in the bed for ages now, kissing and touching and talking. 

“Love you,” Harry murmurs, hand slowly sliding down Louis’ body to where they both want it to end up.

“Mhm. Get a condom. In my bag.”

Harry huffs, blowing air over Louis’ face. He mumbles something under his breath, but heads to Louis’ duffle to search for the necessary items. Louis watches him, curly hair and tattoos and fitting jeans. He's really fucking pretty.

“Louis!” Harry gasps. “Oh, my god.” 

“What?”

“I think…. did I just find pot in your duffel bag?”

Louis laughs. “Oh, shit, yeah! I forgot I even brought that.”

“Louis!” Harry repeats. “Why did you bring weed on your trip back home to visit your family?”

Louis gets up now too, snatching the plastic bag from Harry. “Because I knew there was going to be some point when we’d be here alone, and Zayn taught me how to roll a joint and I have all the stuff here. So.”

“We’re not–”

“Come on,” Louis grins, grabbing Harry by the hand and pulling him downstairs.

He stops in the kitchen to roll two joints on the kitchen counter, much to Harry’s disbelief. (“Louis, this is your mother’s countertop! Stop it!”). They get on their coats and step onto the back deck. Louis lights up like he's not doing this at his mother’s house when she could be home any minute.

“Harry, I’m an adult. I can make my own decisions,” Louis says, passing Harry the joint.

Harry nods, inhaling deeply. “I know. But I still think you're crazy.”

“But you're still out here smoking with me.”

“Unfortunately,” Harry rolls his eyes.

The stay outside until Harry feels himself having enough (and the blunts are both gone. That's also why). Louis drags Harry back up the stairs and closes the bedroom door.

Laying in bed is much different than it was prior to them leaving. “I forgot how you get when we do this,” Louis remarks, running fingers through Harry’s hair.

“How do I get?” Harry asks, placing a line of gentle kisses along Louis’ collarbone.

“Touchy. Needy.”

“You love it.”

Louis nods. “Always, baby. You know that.”

“Mhm, I do know that. When’s your mum gonna be home?”

“I don’t know. We’re going out to dinner tonight, though. She doesn’t wanna cook.” Now that he’s thinking about it, smoking now was poor planning on Louis’ part.

As if on command, Louis’ phone dings with a text from his mother saying that she’s on her way home with Fizzy and the sets of twins. He lets out a laugh, kissing Harry’s forehead. “We have to get ourselves together.”

“I’m fine. We are together. We’re very much together.” Harry says, sitting up.

“Think we probably smell like pot. She’s not going to get out of the car, she’s going to honk the horn and we’re gonna have to fucking hurry up.”

They get up and change into different clothes, Louis having to listen to Harry’s giggling and complaining. As predicted, Jay only honks the horn and expects Louis and Harry to come rushing out. They throw on jackets, Harry putting on a pair of sunglasses against Louis’ will. When they get high it’s always Louis who ends up more sensible and rational than Harry.

“How was your time home?” Jay asks, watching Harry and Louis climb all the way into the back seats next to Fizzy. 

“You got booted to the back?” Louis laughs, letting Harry rest his head on his shoulder.

“Unfortunately. Dais called shotgun before I could,” she replies, scooting over a little further to give Louis more room. “Are you guys okay?”

Louis nods. “Fine.”

“M’hungry,” Harry complains.

They pull up at a japanese restaurant, almost causing Harry to outright moan in gratitude. Louis hits him. Getting out of the car happens much slower than it should. “Does everyone know what they’re going to get?” Jay asks. Lottie and Tommy sit down near Harry and Louis’ end, knowing that Louis and Tommy always pick up a conversation about footie.

“Haven’t even gotten the chance to look at the menu yet, mum, relax.” Louis laughs. He leans closer to Harry. “See anything you like, love?”

“I know this comes with noodles, but I’m gonna want more noodles than that,” Harry says, adjusting his hood. “I can already tell that it’s not gonna be enough noodles.”

Louis laughs. “Okay, we will get you the chicken with extra noodles. Can you take your hood off, baby?”

Harry sighs, pushing the hood off of his head. “Ah, we can see you now!” Lottie exclaims, laughing a bit. “And, wow, you kind of look like shit.”

Harry puts a finger to his lips, hushing her. “Order your noodles and shut up,” he whispers, holding his menu up in front of his face.

Lottie gives Louis a funny look. “Is he okay?”

“Yeah, he’s fine,” Louis nods. “We’re fine.”

She leans closer, keeping her voice low. “If I go in your room, it’s gonna smell like weed, isn’t it?”

“Maybe.”

“God, you’re such an idiot! Does mum know?”

“No, and that way it shall stay.”

Harry eats a lot and falls asleep on the car ride home. Jay doesn’t say anything, and she stays unsuspecting. Once inside the house again, Harry seems much better than he was before, and that’s, of course, when Jay breaks out the wine. 

“Don’t really want wine,” Louis tells her. “Is there beer?”

“Dan’s on his way home now, he’s stopping on the way home to pick drinks up. Can’t make it through the holiday season without alcohol.”

“Have we got the alcoholic eggnog?” Harry asks, wrapping his arms around Louis’ waist.

“Yes, we do, lovely. You want a drink?” Jay asks. “I can make you something.”

“I’ll make it, mum. Don’t worry.” Louis tells her, reaching and opening the fridge before she does.

“You’ll have everyone drunk of their asses within the hour,” Jay laughs. “But, okay, I guess.”

“Do you want one too?” he asks.

His mother shakes her head. “I’ll stick to my wine, thank you. Maybe Lottie and Tommy want one.”

“Mhm. Good point. Four eggnog and rum’s coming up.”

Louis mixing alcohol with eggnog is either a hit or miss. There’s never an in between. It’s either complete shit or worth five glasses. He doesn’t find the eggnog strong enough, never does, and feels the need to add something to it. Rum seems to be his biggest hit so far. Failures include Fireball Whiskey and an orange flavored vodka, but they really don’t talk about those.

Once Jay finally leaves the kitchen, Louis looks at Harry as he gets glasses out of the cabinet. “You doing okay there, love?” he asks.

Harry nods, sitting down at one of the barstools and resting his head on folded arms. “Tired.” 

“God, you barely even smoked anything.” Louis laughs. “Are you sure you can handle drinks now?”

“I can  _ always  _ handle drinks, Lou. You know I can handle my drinks.”

And, tonight Harry can’t handle his alcohol. Louis drags him upstairs before he gets too out of hand for the familial setting. The second he hits the bed, Harry goes silent. He’s asleep, Louis realizes. “He fucking fell asleep,” he mutters to himself.

He gets Harry under the blankets before changing himself into a pair of sweats and a tee shirt. He sits down at the white desk in the corner of the room and opens his laptop, not sure where to go from there. He checks his Facebook, having to see all of the pictures his mother has posted since he and Harry got here on Monday.

Louis pulls up his writing and lets his fingers hover over the keyboard, but nothing comes to him. Until he looks back at Harry laying in the bed, then everything just seems to flow.

About ten minutes later, Harry groans softly, sitting up. Louis turns to look at him. “You’re wearing your glasses,” Harry says, rubbing his eyes. “What are you doing with your glasses?”

“Um… I’m… seeing?”

“Haven’t seen you wear them in a long time.”

“Well I’m writing and I need to see well. God, you’re so gone,” Louis’ unable to hide his amusement. “Maybe we shouldn’t have smoked.”

Harry shakes his head. “No, I don’t mind. We could smoke again if you wanted to. Like, right now.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, baby. We’ll wait a little while before we do that again.”

“What’re you writing about?”

“You.”

Harry hums. “Can I watch you?”

“I guess? You’re going to do it anyways, aren’t you?” 

Louis goes back to work, except now with Harry watching him. Harry mumbles something to himself, something that sounds a hell of a lot like  _ you’re so pretty.  _ Louis doesn’t reply, just lets Harry mumble on to himself. “I am helplessly, eternally attracted to you in so many ways.”

That, Louis can’t ignore. “Hah! Are you?”

“I said that out loud.” Harry murmurs, slowly processing the information himself. “Whoops. I think I’m gonna blame it on the glasses. They’ve got me all hot and bothered.”

“Oh, do they?” Louis laughs, closing his laptop and heading over to the bed. “Hot and bothered, yeah?”

“C’mere,” Harry whispers, beckoning Louis closer. “Want something from you, and we’ve gotta be together in order to do it.”

 

“Are these tickets to a Man U game?” Louis asks, staring at the tickets in his hand. 

“Can you read?” Harry snorts. “Obviously it’s Man U tickets. You and I are gonna go to the game. It’ll be fun.”

“You’re right, it will be.” Louis leans over and kisses him gently. “Open yours now.”

Harry tears into the wrapping, gasping when he sees the box. “Louis! I really, really hope I’m not seeing what I think I’m seeing.”

“Oh, really? Because I’ll just return them-”

“No!” He exclaims. “You don’t- oh my god,” he breathes, lifting one boot from the box so carefully that Louis laughs.

“These are the ones you wanted, aren’t they?”

“Yeah, they’re exactly the ones I wanted, I can’t believe you got them! These are expensive, Lou. Like, really expensive! Saint Laurent is no joke. How did you… how?”

“I picked up a shitload of extra shifts at the bar and I saved and I worked with Z at the shop for a bit and I did it. Okay? Don’t worry about that, love. Please.”

 

The next day, Louis gives Harry a YSL beauty gift card and Harry hits him. Then he gives Louis a necklace engraved with his initials and says he loves him. On Christmas Eve, Louis’ nan arrives and fawns over Harry (and Louis and them together as a couple) for a long while, preventing the pair from exchanging their gifts.

“We have to hang out stockings!” Jay calls. “Ernie and Doris have to wind down and get ready for bed otherwise Santa isn’t coming!”

“I actually have to go out and pick up your present,” Louis tells Harry, already pulling on his sweatshirt.

Harry gives him a look. “Are you kidding?”

“No. I’m hanging my stocking and I’m running out, it’ll take ten minutes.”

Harry persistently follows Louis to the living room, where he watches him hang up his stocking beside his mother’s. “Harry, love,” Jay says, capturing the attention of Louis as well. Whatever Jay has to say to Harry always catches Louis’ attention. “Have this for you.”

Louis’ heart wants to lurch from his chest when his mother hands Harry a stocking with his name on it. Harry looks up to Louis, eyes wide and surprised and overjoyed. He hangs the stocking up with a big smile on his face, then comes over and kisses Louis, which only makes Louis’ heart beat faster. “Making him a part of the family now, innit?” Dan laughs, clapping Louis on the shoulder.

_ Oh, if only you knew,  _ Louis thinks. “I’m gonna run out real quick, I have to pick something up. I’ll literally be right back.”

His mother puts up a fight. Says that he can’t go out by himself now, it’s dark and he doesn’t even know the area that well. Louis gets bothered by it, he’s an adult and he can make his own decisions, thank you very much. Jay settles on letting Lottie go with him. And they’ve got to buy another bottle of red wine. Louis doesn’t mind that deal.

“What’s so important that you need to get it at half past six on your birthday, on Christmas Eve?” Lottie asks, buckling her seatbelt and looking at her brother curiously. “More pot?”

Louis rolls his eyes. “Let that go already, it happened and it’s done and mum never found out. And I need to get Harry’s day six present, that’s what.”

“You don’t have it already?”

“It’s complicated, okay?”

“What is it?”

“Do you ever stop asking so many questions?”

“Mum just gave the kid a stocking and you’re forgetting his day six Christmas present.”

“I know she did! That was crazy and unexpected and I don’t know why she did it, I didn’t even know she was going to do it. Now he’s back there alone with them and I just want to get the fucking flowers and get home.”

“Flowers?”

“Yeah, flowers. Just… let’s get this quick, okay?”

The cashier jokes about Louis’ date night with his girlfriend when the only things on the counter are flowers and a bottle of red wine. As they’re leaving, Lottie remarks that it’s  _ boy _ friend rather than  _ girl _ friend, and they leave so fast the cashier doesn’t get a chance to conjure up a reply.

Back at the house, Harry is laughing with Louis’ family like he was made to be there. Upon seeing Louis come in, he immediately gets up and gives Louis a small box. Before opening the box, Louis presents Harry with the flowers.

“Lou! These are so pretty! You just went to get these now?”

“Mhm,” Louis nods. “I couldn’t bring them from home to here without you knowing about it, so I had to wait.”

“Aw, you’re so cute,” Harry whispers. “Open yours.”

Louis obliges, opening the box to reveal a pair of tickets for The Fray. “Man U and The Fray, love? Are you insane?”

“They’re a few months apart, so you’ve got time to recover in between,” Harry grins, kissing Louis’ cheek.

“Oh, my! Let’s get those in water for you, yeah?” Jay whisks Harry away from Louis yet again.

“At least she likes him,” Fizzy notes. “She could absolutely despise him, couldn’t she?”

Louis shrugs. “I suppose you’re right.”

“And he got a stocking. You know what she’s expecting next, don’t you?”

He rolls his eyes. “I don’t really know what she’s expecting. And I don’t let my relationship revolve around what mum wants or expects.”

“Oh, I see. I’ll leave you to that, then.”

“What, you don’t wanna talk to me anymore?”

“Not when you’re all heart eyed and drooling over your boyfriend,” Fizzy admits, already walking away. “Stop staring for a few bloody minutes and then try to come talk to me.”

He flips her off. His mother yells at him from the kitchen. He ends up on the floor with Ernest and Doris in the middle of a play wrestling match, which Louis truly doesn’t mind.

“Hey! You’re getting my babies all riled up!” Jay scolds, but not doing anything to move from where she’s got her feet propped up on her husband’s lap.

“Ah, they were riled up after that birthday cake we are after dinner,” Louis tells her.

Harry steps in then, scooping Doris up from Louis’ grasp and only making her shriek louder. “Do I need to save you from Louis?” he asks, tickling her.

“Achoo, help!”

“He’s with me, Dory, sorry.” Louis sings, holding Ernie captive in his grip.

“You two can put them to bed, then. I’m not dealing with that,” Jay mumbles.

Harry and Louis both ignore her, Harry coming to sit down next to Louis and dump Doris into his lap. They rile up the twins even more until Jay tells them that they should probably get to bed if they want Santa to come.

Louis takes Ernie and Harry follows close behind with Doris. “You have to go to sleep, okay?” Louis whispers, pulling Doris’ blanket up over her. “This way Santa Clause can come and give you all the stuff you want for Christmas.”

She nods, yawning. “G’night, Achoo.”

Louis smiles, kissing her forehead. “Goodnight, Dory.”

He stops at Ernest next, giving him the same go-to-sleep-now speech he gave Doris. Louis turns toward the door, where Harry is standing with a smile on his face. “‘arry, say night.” Ernie demands.

Harry fulfills the request, saying goodnight to each little one before meeting Louis by the door. “I can’t wait to have this,” he says softly, shutting the bedroom door halfway.

Louis looks at him, eyes wide.

“Don’t look at me like that.” Harry tells him. “You know that’s what I want. You’ve known since the night that I met you what kind of life I want.”

And, that’s true. Louis vividly remembers that night, he’ll probably never forget that night. Harry came into the bar one night while Louis was working, got drunk and spilled his entire soul right onto the countertop for Louis to clean up. Louis didn’t mind, truly, he took everything Harry told him and stored it, processed it and ended up falling head over heels in love with him.

“I know,” Louis says softly. “I know that’s what you want.”

“So then why are you looking at me like that?” Harry asks, looking at Louis carefully.

Louis shrugs, peering into the room where his brother and sister are actually starting to fall asleep. “You just… I don’t know. I don’t know why I looked at you like that.” Harry sighs, kissing Louis’ forehead. “Haz?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you. I’m in love with you,” Louis tells him.

Harry laughs. “I love you too.”

 

On Christmas morning, Louis wakes up in a position that should be uncomfortable but really isn’t just because he’s with Harry. Louis’ on his stomach, with Harry draped across his back in a way that  _ must  _ be uncomfortable for Harry. Not for Louis, though, he’s rather comfortable. “Louis, please get up!” Phoebe whines, banging on the door. “I’m opening the door. Eyes are closed, but I’m opening the door.”

Louis laughs, making Harry groan. “We’re coming, Pea, don’t worry about it. And you don’t have to close your eyes either.”

She tells him again to wake up and leaves the bedroom door open. “We gotta get up,” Louis grumbles, attempting to push himself up but is unsuccessful. “Get off of me, fucking abominable snowman.”

“Nuh-uh. Don't wanna move. Mum’s been pouring alcohol down my throat for the week and it's finally catching up.”

“She's not trying to get you drunk,” Louis laughs. “Let's just go downstairs for a bit and watch the kids open presents. Then we’ll come take a shower together.”

“Gonna fuck me in the shower?”

“Maybe.”

“Am I hurting you?”

“No, but I think I can already feel your dick. Put it away.”

Harry laughs, kissing the back of Louis’ neck. They pull themselves out of bed and get quickly washed up, the girls calling for them all the while. Downstairs they pretend they’d never seen the presents and the bites taken out of the cookies.

“I love this,” Harry says, leaning into Louis. “Thank you for bringing me.”

“Thanks for coming and dealing with… this,” he replies, unable to describe the feeling he has in his chest and his stomach and his mind. Ernest and Doris are arguing over one of the presents under the tree, a scene Louis’ all too used to.

Their shower is long and it's just the two of them and they do a lot more than get clean and Louis’ really fucking in love with this. Louis heads back downstairs before Harry does, finding his mother and his grandmother are already in the kitchen beginning to cook the Christmas meal.

“Smells great in here,” Louis sighs, sitting down at the island.

“Thanks. Are you going to help out?”

“Haz said he was going to. I’ll just watch you guys, I think.”

Jay laughs. “I would expect nothing less from you, I suppose.”

Harry comes down a few minutes later, a wrapped gift in his hand, which he places on the table in front of Louis. “Open it up,” he grins, bouncing on the balls of his feet excitedly. 

Louis quirks an eyebrow. “Alright, I’m opening.”

He unwraps it, playfully stuffing the wrapping paper down the front of Harry’s shirt. He takes the lid off the box and is left staring at a framed picture of David Beckham. With his signature. “Harry,” Louis gasps. “This is… this is Becks. This is his signature.”

“Yeah, it is.” Harry grins. “The David Beckham and his signature. Happy day seven.” 

Louis leans up and kisses him, clearly overjoyed. “Let me see,” Jay says, taking the picture from Louis’ hands. “You probably just gave him the Christmas gift of the century, Harry. I’m not sure anything is ever going to surpass this.”

Jay doesn’t know Harry in all the ways Louis knows him, and Harry will figure out a way to pass up Becks. He just will. Louis isn’t sure how, or when, or with what, but it’ll happen one day. “Do I get mine present now?” Harry asks, wrapping arms around Louis’ neck and kissing his cheek.

“No, not yet. I’m gonna give it to you later,” Louis replies. He can feel the gift burning a hole through his sweatshirt pocket, just waiting to be given. But now isn’t the time. Harry pouts in response. “Get to cooking. I wanna see this.”

“I’ve got an extra apron if you want one,” Louis’ nan offers, already extending the apron towards Harry.

“Of  _ course  _ I want an apron.” Harry grins, winking at Louis. “What’re we making?”

“Nan’s working on the lasagna, I was about to start baking cookies for dessert.”

Harry’s face fucking  _ lights up  _ and Louis can’t help but roll his eyes. “Oh, here we go,” he murmurs.

“I love baking. I used to be a baker, you know.” Harry’s grinning now, pride in his bakery roots and knowing that Louis hates when he brings this up.

“Did you? Louis’ told us everything about you but he seems to have left that detail out,” Jay muses. “You want to handle the cookies, then?”

“I’d love to,” Harry grins, tying his apron and turning back to face Louis again. “You wanna help too, babe?”

“You know I don’t cook as well as you do, baby, I’m just gonna watch you.”

The baking gets underway, Harry working right across the island from Louis so they can talk and laugh and flirt a bit. Louis watches him carefully, watches the way he puffs a falling strand of hair out of his face and the way he mixes and laughs at something Jay says and laughs at something Louis says and makes fun of Louis and the way he cooks.

“I’m gonna open a bakery, I think,” Harry says suddenly.

Louis arches his eyebrows. “A bakery?”

“That’s what I wanna do, I think. Becoming a model or an astronaut or a full time sugar baby are all kind of unrealistic, so I mean. Opening a bakery could work.”

“I think you’re right,” Louis smiles. “You’re gonna open a bakery.”

“Maybe I could get a place by the bar, and we’ll be close together. It’ll work, right?”

“It’ll definitely work, love. If that’s what you wanna do, then you’ll do it.”

Harry grins widely. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

By the time Harry finally leaves the kitchen, Louis feels like he's going to vomit. “Can I get my present now?” Harry asks, sitting down on the loveseat next to Louis.

“Um, yeah, I guess you can.” Louis coughs, looking at who's in the room with them. Lottie, Tommy and the little twins. He nods. “Yeah, I’ll give it to you now.”

Harry furrows his eyebrows. “Why are you being weird?”

“I’m not! I just…. I have your present, it's right here,” Louis finally pulls the box from his pocket. He's supposed to kneel down, right? That's what happens with this kind of thing. Louis stumbles to get down on one knee and open the box. He hears Lottie gasp behind him but really tries to block out the background noise.

“I’m in love with you, like really in love with you. Have been since the night you came to the bar. I sleep with you and I eat with you and I write about you and I want you happy, I think about you all the time no matter what I’m doing. I want this life with you, the picket fence and the babies and the bakery. I want you, Harry Styles, for the rest of eternity, if you'll have me. Harry, will you marry me?”

And, it all comes out in a rush. He just can't believe that he hasn't puked yet. Harry’s mouth is open, eyes filled with tears. “This question requires an answer, love,” Louis urges, laughing a bit and trying to lighten things up.

“Oh my god. Yes! Obviously, yes. Louis, holy shit,” Harry’s crying now, pulling Louis back up on the couch and into a warm, soft kiss that feels a hell of a lot like forever. “On one condition.”

Louis laughs. “I just fucking proposed to you and you've got a condition?”

“I wanna be a Tomlinson.”

“You can be a Tomlinson. Harry Tomlinson,” Louis whispers. “I fucking love you.”

“I know. Will you put the ring on my finger now?”

Louis does, which gets him another forever-promising kiss. “Louis William!” Jay exclaims. “Did you just do that?”

“Yeah, mum, I did.”

“Christ, that's why you went white as a ghost when I gave him the stocking!” She concludes, dragging him up and into a hug. “You've got me crying now, my god.”

“I’m crying a bit too, for what it's worth,” Lottie chimes in. “Louis’ supposed to be single forever. We always joked about that. Now Harry Styles has him tied down. God.”

As soon as Jay leaves for the kitchen again, still crying, and as soon as his siblings stop yelling and his nan stops asking Louis if they've waited to have sex, Harry turns to Louis. “I can’t believe you,” he says, coming closer.

“No? You better, baby, because now we’ve got a wedding to plan. Now introducing Louis and Harry Tomlinson.”

Harry absolutely beams, pressing his entire body to Louis’ and kissing him like they’re not in Jay’s living room. “I love you so fucking much, I can’t wait for this to happen,” Harry mutters, saying it hastily and into Louis’ mouth like he doesn’t want to pull completely away. Not like Louis wants him to.

After kissing him for probably too long, Harry pulls away, a puzzled look on his face. “Did you, like, ask my mum?”

“I called her. I think I’m in contact with Anne more than you are, actually,” Louis says thoughtfully.

The day continues on, with a much different tone than it had before. Louis feels different, Harry feels different, Jay is happier and taking more pictures of them and Tommy and Lottie have been staring at each other like they know what’s coming next for them (Louis hopes he’s wrong about that). Everything is different, everything is peaceful and happy and Christmassy and amazing and Louis fucking loves it.

When cuddled up on the couch with Harry and two glasses of wine between the pair, Louis comes to a realization. “This is what it’s gonna be like,” he says softly.

“What?”

“Sorry. I… This is what it’s going to be like. The rest of our lives.”

Harry looks up at him, smiling. “Yeah? Is that good or bad?”

Louis lets out a laugh. “It’s amazing.”

“I agree.”

Louis doesn’t think he could want this life any more than he does right now. He wants the wedding, he wants Harry, he wants adoptions and surrogacy, he wants Harry’s bakery, he wants everything with Harry. “Okay, you’re really zoned out right now,” Harry states, pulling Louis back to reality. “But it’s okay if you’re thinking about me.”

“Always am, baby.”

Always was, always is, always will be, everything will always be Harry and usually that would annoy Louis; if it were anyone else  _ but  _ Harry it would annoy the hell out of him. But it’s Harry, Harry in his full glory, in all the ways Louis loves him the most. Which is every single way.

“When did you know?” Harry asks. He keeps interrupting Louis’ damn train of thought. Louis pretends he doesn’t mind (truly, he doesn’t), and hums in question. “When did you know that I was it for you?”

Louis smiles, rubbing Harry’s arm. “You remember second night that you came into the bar? You came in the night we met, and then you came back the next day because you wanted to see me without seeing double of me.”

“I remember that very well,” Harry giggles. “What about it?”

“You told me that night that you felt bad for getting drunk and maybe possibly hitting on me and you just told me over and over again how sorry you were and thanked me for calling a cab and everything and…” Louis trails off, laughing. “It was just so unbelievable to me that you came in and apologized to me for getting drunk… at a bar… where you’re supposed to get drunk.”

“That’s when you knew? When I apologized for getting smashed? That’s when you knew you wanted to marry me?”

“That’s when I knew I wanted to see you again. I knew I wanted to marry you on our first proper date when you told me you used to be a baker and made a joke about yourself getting drunk.”

“You wanted to be with the drinking, baking, apologizing kid?”

“Oh, I wanted to drink and bake with him.”

Harry leans up, kissing Louis once, twice, three times simply because he can. “I’m gonna get another glass of wine, do you want one?”

Louis nods. Harry gets up and takes their glasses to the kitchen, swinging his hips just the slightest because he knows that Louis is watching him closely. “Please stop being so disgusting and cuddly,” Lottie turns her nose up, crossing her arms over her chest.

“As if I haven’t had to deal with you be disgusting and cuddly with Tommy. Which is especially painful for me, as your big brother.”

She laughs. “You’re even worse. All engaged and shit.” Louis rolls his eyes. “Really. You’re happy, though?”

“So, unbelievably happy.” Louis smiles, watching Harry come back through to the living room with two nearly full glasses of wine in his hands. “You can’t even begin to understand it.”

“Understand what?” Harry asks, handing Louis his glass.

“Nothing, baby.”

Harry doesn't question it, just sits down and cuddles up close again. Louis sticks his tongue out at his sister;  _ take my fucking PDA, you brat. _

“Lou,” Harry says quietly. “Stop looking at your sister and pay more attention to me.”

Louis can’t help but laugh at him. “You’ve got nothing but all of my attention, my love.”

“Prove it.”

Louis taps the ring on Harry’s finger. “That’s your proof.”  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! comments and kudos are always welcome and appreciated :)  
> my tumblr is alwaysbearound and my twitter is itfeltlikehome_ slide into my dms i love making friends!!


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